San Jose State's Adrian Oliver (2) looks to pass as Boise State's Zack Moritz (32) defends during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game on Saturday, March 6, 2010 in Boise, Idaho. (AP Photo/Matt Cilley)

The San Jose State guard is averaging 24.9 points per game this season. He has 12 career games of at least 30 points.

Oliver comes from a basketball family; he has two cousins who played college basketball, and his uncle, Allen Oliver, coached him at Modesto Christian High.

Given that background, it's easy to understand how well Adrian Oliver understands the game.

"People would say I have a high basketball IQ," Oliver said, "and I ... just tried to further nurture that by looking up to players like Kobe Bryant, Michael Jordan - not because they're gifted with the game physically, but the way they go about watching film, the minor details.

"I'm big on attention to detail."

San Jose State head coach George Nessman coached Jon and Brent Barry at De La Salle High in the 1980s. Nessman believes Oliver is similar to the Barry brothers in at least one way:

"They can beat you with their head, too," Nessman said.

Oliver spent 1 1/2 seasons at Washington before transferring to San Jose State. He began playing for the Spartans midway through the 2008-09 season, and averaged 17.1 points per game.

Nessman said Oliver not only has improved his scoring average, but his all-around game as well.

Said Oliver: "I know how much more effective my team can be if I'm more efficient - and that just comes from me studying the game, studying film constantly on how defenses are playing me."

Oliver led the Spartans (5-2) in scoring in each of the first five games, including a 34-point night in a 67-60, season-opening win at Eastern Washington and a 35-point day in an 80-77 home victory over UC Riverside.

In the past two games, fellow guard Justin Graham has been the Spartans' top scorer with 20 and 21 points.

"I know that I'm a distraction for the opposing defense," Oliver said, "and ... Justin has really taken advantage of that."

Through 20 games last season, the Spartans were 12-8, 5-3 in the WAC. They proceeded to lose nine of their final 11 games. That tailspin weighed on Oliver.

"I take everything personally," he said. "So, our team's failures at the end of the year, I take it upon myself. There's no one who can tell me that it's not my fault, because I won't listen."

Oliver did listen to Nessman's preaching during the offseason. Nessman stressed the importance of Oliver taking more of a leadership role on the team.

"Being a leader is about knowing your teammates," Oliver said, "and knowing how they react to certain behaviors. That's what I've done.

"I've tried to study my guys, study their behaviors and know how I can come across for them to bring the most out of themselves."

What's the most Oliver can expect out of himself beyond this season?

One NBA scout said he wouldn't recommend that his team draft Oliver, but the scout added that some of his peers believe Oliver's worthy of a second-round pick.

San Jose State doesn't receive the type of attention that, say, Washington - or any other Pac-10 school - does. So, maybe only the thinking fan realizes how good Oliver is.

"Inside the community of college coaches and certainly NBA guys, they know who Adrian Oliver is," Nessman said. "I think he's flat-out one of the best players in the country."